Billy's Red Shoe Run Against Cancer

To know Billy Soileau is to know an indomitable smile, an easy laugh and a positive outlook that together constitute an unmistakable force of nature.  Part of this is quite simply Billy’s innate personality.  But real-life trials and challenges have also contributed to the tempering of his character.  He has found a way to live a joyful, generous and productive life with multiple severe systemic diseases for nearly 25 years. He and his husband Kyle waded through the trauma of Katrina in 2005 and rebuilt their lives in New Orleans.  Five years ago, when faced with a life-threatening diagnosis of a rare cancer, Billy put on his roaring-red cancer-fighting tennis shoes and headed to New York for months of treatment that were eventually successful.  Each one of these trials involved having to close and then re-establish his chiropractic practice, but Billy has each time found a way to move forward with amazing grit and good humor.

Today, Billy is once again facing cancer and a rigorous treatment regimen that takes its toll on his body and energy level. Cancer can be devastating even for years after the healing process.  Billy is still paying medical bills from his treatment five years ago. Once again, he is having to curtail his chiropractic work drastically because chemo leaves him physically drained.  This means a significant loss of income to cover everyday expenses, and that doesn’t even count the costs related to his current therapy. Billy will soon need to go back to New York for another stem cell transplant as part of his treatment protocol.  This will involve having to live at least three months in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

While we who love Billy have to leave the medical part of his therapy to the professionals, what we can do right now is to help alleviate the stress that comes with economic uncertainty. We are asking you to join the virtual Red Shoe Run by contributing to help cover medical and living expenses to tide him over and through the months to come.  As we all know, stress hinders healing.  In addition to our prayers and good wishes, this concrete gesture will provide an economic cushion that will reduce that cortisol-creating anxiety and support him in his recovery.  Let’s get those roaring red shoes running again!